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Towson, Md. - Michigan Technological University senior guard Austin Armga (Waupun, Wis.) and Lake Superior State University senior guard Derek Billing (Anna, Ohio/Anna) have been chosen as first and second team 2013-14 Capital One Academic All-Americans selected by CoSIDA, respectively.
Austin Armga of the Michigan Tech men's basketball team was named
to the Capital One Academic All-America First Team on Wednesday
(Feb. 19) as selected by the College Sports Information Directors
of America.
Armga, a senior from Waupun, Wis., leads the GLIAC in scoring and is eighth in the nation, averaging 23.3 points per game. He is up to 13th all-time in scoring in Michigan Tech men's basketball history with 1,376 points.
Armga holds a 3.78 cumulative grade point average in exercise science. This season, he was named to the preseason GLIAC First Team. He has also been a two-time GLIAC All-Academic Excellence selection and a member of the NABC Honor Court in 2012-13.
Armga, who will play in his 100th career game on Thursday (Feb. 20), also ranks in the top five in the GLIAC in free throw attempts (178), free throws made (153) and free throw percentage (86). Last season, he led the GLIAC in free throw percentage (92.4). He holds the school record for most points in a Tech debut with 29 points on Nov. 16, 2010. Percentage wise, he will end his career in the top 10 in field goals, 3-pointers and free throws.
The last men's basketball Academic All-American was JT Luginski during the 2002-03 season.
Lake Superior State senior guard Derek Billing was named to the
Capital One Academic All-America Second Team for Division II,
CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) announced
Wednesday.
Billing (Anna, Ohio), who earned academic all-district honors in 2013 and '14, maintains a 3.59 grade point average in exercise science while ranking fifth in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in scoring, averaging 20.3 points per game. He has led the Lakers in scoring for three straight years, including this season's impressive 24-3 campaign.
Last week, the 6-2, 185-pound wing broke LSSU's career three-pointers record by hitting his 265th triple during a three-point victory over Ferris State. He also leads the GLIAC in average free-throws made per game (6.3) and ranks seventh in LSSU career scoring with 1,664 points.
The Capital One Academic All-America Division II First Team includes Bryce Foster (Missouri S&T), Mike Dentlinger (Nebraska-Kearney), Austin Armga (Michigan Tech), David Downs (Seattle Pacific) and Trey Casey (Christian Brothers). They have an average GPA of 3.884.
The second team also includes Chandler Hash (Anderson, S.C.), Dominykas Milka (College of Saint Rose), Nicholas Kay and Mitch McCarron (Metropolital State-Denver), and Teancum Stafford (Alaska-Anchorage).
On the third team are Carson Konrade (Fort Hays State), C.J. Hester (West Liberty), Tylon Smith (Southern Connecticut State), Ian Vescova (Pittsburgh-Johnstown).
The 18th-ranked Lakers play host to Northern Michigan at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Bud Cooper Gymnasium. Billing is one of three men's basketball seniors who will be recognized during Saturday's home game against Michigan Tech.
